(03 Sep 2017, 10:32 pm)Ambassador wrote Be interesting to see how many they'd order for the 21, indeed if it would even stay as Angel. The use of Castles Express on Sundays means they can now fully concentrate on needed capacity vs express service table gimmicks if they order new. No idea what I'd order for it. Heavy loads, stop start, high intensity work. Tough one to cater for and track record proves GNE have nevr got it quite right, disastrously wrong on occasion.

A weird brand is the Angel. Nice looking and fits well over its 3 incarnations (temporary red, inexplicable pink and now bus grant green) but never really taken on by its passengers in the way Red Arrows or even Fab 56 has. Even on their own Facebook and twitter replies they call it the 21, they barely use the Angel brand. I like the idea of bringing back 'the twenty one' brand.

If the Angel got new buses (presumably Streetdecks / B5TLs) but with no power sockets, would GNE be better off by:

- Ordering 2x spares

Or

- Ordering 4x for the Red Kite (to the same spec as Streetlites) and sending 6118-21 to Chester Le Street / Crook as spares

How much extra BSOG payments would GNE get for the decker boards on the Red Kite plus any Sunday decker work from Stanley that are normally allocated Omnidekkas or B9TLs?

(04 Sep 2017, 10:40 am)Ambassador wrote Trains are entirely different to buses in that they tend to be more used by business workers.  Expectations are they have workspaces and wifi.

You're unlikely to find a businessman sitting working on his laptop on the 15 minute run from low fell to Newcastle. Potentially on longer runs you'd see it but doubtful on the 21. 

Capacity is king and anything that adds more seating should win out on a stopping service which should be treated differently to an X21 X10 style service . Hope that makes sense

A lot of people who use the 21 do work you know 

However, regardless of that, I think tables are good idea particularly when you take the length of the journey into consideration. To me I think you feel more relaxed if your sitting a table for a longer journey....greater viewing angle not disrupted by seat in front, place to eat your sandwich and pop, easier to communicate to the people your travelling with etc

Does everyone here that gets the train not always go for the seat with a table? Even if its only a short journey?

(04 Sep 2017, 6:56 pm)JP6004 wrote A lot of people who use the 21 do work you know 

However, regardless of that, I think tables are good idea particularly when you take the length of the journey into consideration. To me I think you feel more relaxed if your sitting a table for a longer journey....greater viewing angle not disrupted by seat in front, place to eat your sandwich and pop, easier to communicate to the people your travelling with etc

Does everyone here that gets the train not always go for the seat with a table? Even if its only a short journey?

No, on a train I always go for a facing direction of travel, "airline" type seat with a window I can see out of - then there's only one strange, possibly smelly person who I might have to sit near instead of three - and I won't have to compete for footspace with the person opposite. I'd only go for a table if I was travelling with two or three others.

The one problem with the tables is when a passenger travelling alone with no laptop etc sits at them when there are other seats available, and then a party of three or four get on and can't sit there because of that. Of course people are entitled to sit where they like, but it does raise a bit of an issue of etiquette.

Sent from my 5051X using Tapatalk

(04 Sep 2017, 8:42 pm)big mac wrote The one problem with the tables is when a passenger travelling alone with no laptop etc sits at them when there are other seats available, and then a party of three or four get on and can't sit there because of that.  Of course people are entitled to sit where they like, but it does raise a bit of an issue of etiquette.

Sent from my 5051X using Tapatalk

A fair number of X21 journeys I've made have had some ignoramus sat at a table, outside seat with feet on the opposite facing seat, which leaves two options in a situation where the service starts to get busy: 1. Tell the person to move or 2. Sit next to someone in a set of two seats which sure enough is the situation that I always end up in on the X21, whether it's me who has to do it due to social anxiety or I'm the one they sit next to. BTW, I nearly always avoid table seats on buses and trains as space as often terrible when someone inevitably joins you and then wants all the space (I only do it when loadings are very light).

But other people do often seem to favour the table seats on the train and the X21.

The tables are great until some filthy pig leaves half their breakfast smeared all over it, so it remains there for the rest of the day. Had that with a streetdeck, the other day - knew I'd got the same bus in both directions not by the number, but by the thick glob of something that looked like caramel smeared on one of the tables.

(04 Sep 2017, 5:01 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote GNE has more leg room than Stagecoach in my experience. Definitely needs to be a sensible balance when it comes to seating capacity and leg room.

GNE have had a fair share of 'squished seats'. The seats on the upper deck of the Loylnes were terrible.

Lynxes had a few awkward seats and I seem to remember the seat above the wheel-arch of the Nationals being horrendous.

With the Volvo B7TL/East Lancs Vykings going into special events fleet will they still be able to see service?

One of the new buses for X9/X10 was out on route learning this morning , seen at 10:10 at A19 peterlee roundabout heading north bound.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Indigo Peterlee 663 is on Coast Road next to Jesmond Depot. Anyone know why it's over in Newcastle?

(05 Sep 2017, 11:19 am)cbma06 wrote One of the new buses for X9/X10 was out on route learning this morning , seen at 10:10 at A19 peterlee roundabout heading   north bound.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It is out testing the next stop system on it - it is 6308

(05 Sep 2017, 11:48 am)citaro5284 wrote It is out testing the next stop system on it - it is 6308

Some would suggest it was aptly showing Driver Training on the display! 

(05 Sep 2017, 11:22 am)S830OFT wrote Indigo Peterlee 663 is on Coast Road next to Jesmond Depot. Anyone know why it's over in Newcastle?

I've heard that 705 been transferred to Peterlee, so looks like peterlee lost another solo from the original batch.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

(05 Sep 2017, 12:21 pm)cbma06 wrote I've heard that 705 been transferred to Peterlee, so looks like peterlee  lost another solo from the original batch.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It has transferred to Peterlee, but it's because the depot has gained additional work (not to allow another bus to be cascaded out).

Read more: http://northeastbuses.co.uk/fleet/item.php?operatorF=2&fleetnoF=705

(05 Sep 2017, 12:48 pm)Dan wrote It has transferred to Peterlee, but it's because the depot has gained additional work (not to allow another bus to be cascaded out).

Read more: http://northeastbuses.co.uk/fleet/item.php?operatorF=2&fleetnoF=705

Cheers for the info Dan


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

(05 Sep 2017, 12:48 pm)Dan wrote It has transferred to Peterlee, but it's because the depot has gained additional work (not to allow another bus to be cascaded out).

Read more: http://northeastbuses.co.uk/fleet/item.php?operatorF=2&fleetnoF=705

Leaving Washington without a spare for the Indigo Network, which would explain why 6042 was on the 82 yesterday, which according to the news has been Withdrawn.

With the operation of scholars 452 and the 968 transferring from Deptford Depot to Peterlee, why did a Bus from Deptford not transfer to Peterlee instead?

Looking at the fleet list for Washington Depot, there only spares are 5324/5337 & 5338, as 6141/6142 form part of the allocation for the X1.

I do hope once the B5TL's enter service that Washington receive a few B7 Geminis from Riverside, saying that they look like they are Stanley bound. 

(05 Sep 2017, 1:40 pm)Malarkey wrote Leaving Washington without a spare for the Indigo Network, which would explain why 6042 was on the 82 yesterday, which according to the news has been Withdrawn.

With the operation of scholars 452 and the 968 transferring from Deptford Depot to Peterlee, why did a Bus from Deptford not transfer to Peterlee instead?

Looking at the fleet list for Washington Depot, there only spares are 5324/5337 & 5338, as 6141/6142 form part of the allocation for the X1.

I do hope once the B5TL's enter service that Washington receive a few B7 Geminis from Riverside, saying that they look like they are Stanley bound. 

Not quite.

Back in July, service 86 was revised to operate between Concord and The Galleries only (and hence the PVR of service 86 reduced to 1 vehicle, from 2). 705 was hence released for cascade back then, but used at Washington until 3rd September on a Miscellaneous Works board, so a double-deck vehicle could be released to Riverside for Metro Replacement.

As soon as the content of this Miscellaneous Works board was lost entirely on 3rd September, it was no longer required at Washington (which is why 705 transferred to Peterlee at the weekend).

So two spares for the X1 (currently 6141/42) - as before - with 3943 being allocated to scholars 885 and a peak-time X1 run.
Three spares for the 4 and 5/50 (5324, 5337 and 5338) - as before.
One spare for the indiGo Washington network - as before (but now covering a smaller PVR, so a higher spare vehicle percentage overall).

The B7TLs withdrawn from Washington are removed from the fleet as a result of the loss of Miscellaneous Works contracts, so no need for them to be replaced.

(05 Sep 2017, 1:46 pm)Dan wrote Not quite.

Back in July, service 86 was revised to operate between Concord and The Galleries only (and hence the PVR of service 86 reduced to 1 vehicle, from 2). 705 was hence released for cascade back then, but used at Washington until 3rd September on a Miscellaneous Works board, so a double-deck vehicle could be released to Riverside for Metro Replacement.

As soon as the content of this Miscellaneous Works board was lost entirely on 3rd September, it was no longer required at Washington (which is why 705 transferred to Peterlee at the weekend).

So two spares for the X1 (currently 6141/42) - as before - with 3943 being allocated to scholars 885 and a peak-time X1 run.
Three spares for the 4 and 5/50 (5324, 5337 and 5338) - as before.
One spare for the indiGo Washington network - as before (but now covering a smaller PVR, so a higher spare vehicle percentage overall).

The B7TLs withdrawn from Washington are removed from the fleet as a result of the loss of Miscellaneous Works contracts.

Forgot about the 86 dropping in PVR following the changes in July, now everything makes sense.

(05 Sep 2017, 1:46 pm)Dan wrote Not quite.

Back in July, service 86 was revised to operate between Concord and The Galleries only (and hence the PVR of service 86 reduced to 1 vehicle, from 2). 705 was hence released for cascade back then, but used at Washington until 3rd September on a Miscellaneous Works board, so a double-deck vehicle could be released to Riverside for Metro Replacement.

As soon as the content of this Miscellaneous Works board was lost entirely on 3rd September, it was no longer required at Washington (which is why 705 transferred to Peterlee at the weekend).

So two spares for the X1 (currently 6141/42) - as before - with 3943 being allocated to scholars 885 and a peak-time X1 run.
Three spares for the 4 and 5/50 (5324, 5337 and 5338) - as before.
One spare for the indiGo Washington network - as before (but now covering a smaller PVR, so a higher spare vehicle percentage overall).

The B7TLs withdrawn from Washington are removed from the fleet as a result of the loss of Miscellaneous Works contracts, so no need for them to be replaced.

I thought PVR of X1 was 13 all week now, so wouldn't there be a B9 and both Onmnidekkas as spares?

6308 in full X9/X10 Livery - https://www.flickr.com/photos/nebp2/3690...ateposted/

6308 at Gateshead Interchange 
https://flic.kr/p/XQqEj9

(05 Sep 2017, 1:40 pm)Malarkey wrote Leaving Washington without a spare for the Indigo Network, which would explain why 6042 was on the 82 yesterday, which according to the news has been Withdrawn.

With the operation of scholars 452 and the 968 transferring from Deptford Depot to Peterlee, why did a Bus from Deptford not transfer to Peterlee instead?

Looking at the fleet list for Washington Depot, there only spares are 5324/5337 & 5338, as 6141/6142 form part of the allocation for the X1.

I do hope once the B5TL's enter service that Washington receive a few B7 Geminis from Riverside, saying that they look like they are Stanley bound. 

Think 3941/42 are heading to Washington, 3963/64 to Chester, officially last weekend, but delayed slightly.

(05 Sep 2017, 3:28 pm)park5354 wrote Think 3941/42 are heading to Washington, 3963/64 to Chester, officially last weekend, but delayed slightly.

First it was 3888 now the old 724 girl herself 3963 back on old ground. 

All we need now is a Metrobus and the Chester nostalgia cycle is complete!

edit. Honorable mention to 3964, forgot that wore GNE swoop 21 branding!

(05 Sep 2017, 2:11 pm)S830OFT wrote 6308 at Gateshead Interchange 
https://flic.kr/p/XQqEj9

Really is fab looking brand

It actually looks like the computer file for the design of the new X9 / X10 livery was corrupted when it was sent and mistakened for the new livery idea.

(05 Sep 2017, 5:48 pm)Rapidsnap wrote It actually looks like the computer file for the design of the new X9 / X10 livery was corrupted when it was sent and mistakened for the new livery idea.

I said similar on here the other week.

Genuinely thought the image had issues when I was trying to view it. Refreshed the image a couple of times until i realised there wasnt a glitch.

For the cycle event at blyth yesterday i seen the 309s were terminating at Old Hartley. Why did the destination say New Hartley? Its a totally different place and the 309 goes no where near it

(redacted)

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

(05 Sep 2017, 10:39 pm)Jordan2104 wrote For the cycle event at blyth yesterday i seen the 309s were terminating at Old Hartley. Why did the destination say New Hartley? Its a totally different place and the 309 goes no where near it

They were showing that, as, unlike two years ago, that is what the Service Delivery Centre requested was shown on the display. The SDC organises diversions and chooses what to show on the destination display at times like these.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

(06 Sep 2017, 5:00 am)Dan wrote They were showing that, as, unlike two years ago, that is what the Service Delivery Centre requested was shown on the display. The SDC organises diversions and chooses what to show on the destination display at times like these.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Ok but the 309 doesnt go to new hartley. It is old hartley where it goes